One of the great difficulties in global health communications is to make issues resonate with different audiences. How does one inspire individuals to take action against health disparities that are geographically and culturally foreign to the reader or listener’s life experiences? One key element is effective use of the power of stories.
I personally experienced the influence of the narrative recently at the UN Association Film Festival (UNAFF). UNAFF was showing a series of documentaries at Stanford, San Francisco, Palo Alto, and East Palo Alto in an effort to raise awareness of major issues in human rights, healthcare inequities, women’s rights, education, and much more. I attended a screening of a film entitled “Restoring the Light,” an hour-long documentary by Carol Liu, a Stanford alumna. This documentary follows the stories of three families involved with the tragic story of access to eye care in rural Chinese villages. The film tells the stories of a young girl battling a bone disease to go to university to secure a future for her family, her grandmother who labors in the fields despite conjunctivitis and cataracts, a little boy filled with life who needs a corneal transplant because doctors gave him the wrong medication when he was one year old, and finally, the physician who makes many sacrifices in order to run an eye clinic for these patients who otherwise would not receive care. The characters were portrayed with such transparency and depth that I genuinely felt touched by their stories. Their fierce spirit to overcome health disparities made the issue come to life, and I walked out of the room feeling inspired to make a difference for that community.
The narrative humanizes issues in a way that statistics simply cannot. When the observer feels an emotional connection to those suffering, he or she will be more likely to join in the cause. “Restoring the Light” was superb because it showcased individuals from all walks of life. The characters were male and female; young, middle-aged, and elderly; educated and uneducated. When I saw the interactions between the granddaughter and her blind grandmother, I thought immediately of my own family. When I heard of the sacrifices the doctor was making to run his mobile clinic, I thought of how I could help out in whatever way I can. Having a range of characters makes it easier for your audience to relate to their stories, and subsequently care about your issue.
So how do you weave a powerful narrative? Marshall Ganz from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government explores this issue in an essay on constructing public narratives (PDF). Ganz identifies three pillars to a narrative: the story of self, the story of us, and the story of now. The first, the story of self, shares our own motivations and values that inspire us to action. The story of us frames our personal story in a wider community context; examples include shared crises like the 9/11 attack. The story of now pinpoints the challenges we currently face, and offers some hope towards solving these difficulties. By using these three elements in our stories, we can draw readers in, make them feel connected to the issue, and galvanize them to make change. Combine this technique with Ariely’s idea of the “singularity effect” and you have a good communications strategy.
At the same time, after watching “Restoring the Light,” I was left with lingering questions. The physician had to shut down his clinic in the end due to financial difficulties. What happened to the villagers after that? Are there other organizations that took over eye care? What is being done now after the film is released? This brings up the important topic of continuity. Now that the film raises awareness of the issue of healthcare access, what are we going to do about it? Global health communications requires constant updates to keep the momentum of the cause going. Raising awareness is the first step, but additional plans for action are necessary to achieve maximum effect.
Alexandria Arlington Crime Watch
The Washington Post May 11, 2006 These were among incidents recently reported by the Alexandria Police Department. For more information, call 703-838-4636.
FRANKLIN ST., 800 block, 7:15 a.m. April 30. A male gave a ride to a Fairfax County man, 31. As they crossed over the Woodrow Wilson Bridge into Alexandria, he demanded cash at gunpoint. They stopped at a convenience store, and when the victim got out of the car to make a withdrawal from the ATM machine, the motorist drove away with his jacket and cellphone.
MOUNT VERNON AVE., 3900 block, 2:23 a.m. May 1. Four males assaulted a 29-year-old Alexandria man, demanded cash, and then fled empty-handed. The man was treated for minor injuries at Inova Alexandria Hospital.
BEVERLY DR., 1000 block, 7:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. April 28. A residence was entered by forcing a door. Nothing was reported missing.
FAYETTE ST. S., 200 block, 11:30 p.m. April 27 to 5 a.m. April 28. Cash, credit cards and electronic equipment were stolen from a residence entered by forcing a door.
FORT WILLIAMS PKWY., 600 block, 10:30 to 10:35 a.m. April 28. Jewelry was stolen from a residence.
OLD DOMINION BLVD., 3400 block, 3 a.m. April 28 to 7:35 a.m. May 1. A residence was entered by forcing a door. Nothing was reported missing. this web site 2002 honda civic
ORONOCO ST., 200 block, 5 p.m. April 27 to 6:15 a.m. April 28. Electronic equipment and luggage were stolen from a residence.
ORONOCO ST., 1100 block, 4:30 p.m. April 29 to 5 a.m. May 1. Building equipment was stolen from a construction-site storage shed entered by force.
PITT ST. N., 1200 block, 11 p.m. May 1 to 9 a.m. May 2. Cash and electronic equipment were stolen from a residence entered by forcing a window.
ARMISTEAD ST. N., 400 block, 9:15 p.m. April 27 to 7 a.m. April 28. A maroon 1994 Honda Civic was stolen.
ARMISTEAD ST. N., 500 block, 11:30 p.m. April 27 to 8:40 a.m. April 28. A blue 1997 Honda Civic was stolen.
CENTURY DR., 100 block, 9 p.m. April 27 to 6:59 p.m. April 28. A black 2003 Honda motorcycle was stolen.
EDSALL RD., 5900 block, 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. April 26. A light- green 2004 Kawasaki motorcycle was stolen.
FILLMORE AVE., 5100 block, 4:30 p.m. April 29 to 6:30 a.m. April 30. A blue 1998 Ford Crown Victoria was stolen.
GROVES AVE., 1-99 block, noon to 1:40 p.m. April 29. A silver 2002 Chrysler van was stolen.
JEFFERSON DAVIS HWY., 3600 block, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 28. A maroon 2000 Nissan Maxima was stolen.
KENMORE AVE., 4700 block, 6 p.m. May 1 to 6 a.m. May 2. A silver 2002 Honda Civic was stolen.
KING ST., 3300 block, 11 p.m. April 30 to 5:20 a.m. May 1. A silver 2005 Kawasaki motorcycle was stolen.
KING ST., 3500 block, 4:05 to 4:10 a.m. May 1. A green 1996 Plymouth Voyager was stolen.
STRUTFIELD DR., 4500 block, 1 to 10:30 a.m. May 1. A blue-and- white 2002 Yamaha motorcycle was stolen.
WESMOND D R., 200 block, 10:30 p.m. April 23 to 8:30 a.m. April 24. A black 2006 Dodge Charger was stolen.
These were among incidents recently reported by the Arlington County Police Department. For more information, call 703-228-4050 or visit www.arlingtoncrimesolvers.org.
COLUMBIA PIKE, 5100 block, 12:12 a.m. April 22. Two juveniles fatally stabbed a man in the chest and robbed his female companion of a purse. Two 15-year-old Oxon Hill juveniles were charged with capital murder, robbery, conspiracy to commit a felony and stabbing in the commission of a felony.
COLUMBIA PIKE, 5200 block, 11:30 p.m. April 28. A man tried to sexually assault a woman at a bus stop. She fought the man off and fled.
PERSHING DR. N., 2200 block, 1:55 a.m. April 29. During an argument at a bar, a woman sprayed a man with pepper spray. An Arlington woman, 36, was charged with malicious wounding with a caustic substance.
WILSON BLVD., 4200 block, 11:25 p.m. April 26. During a fight, a was hit with a beer bottle and sustained large cuts to the head. A South Carolina man, 35, was charged with malicious wounding. Another South Carolina man, 37, was charged with obstruction of justice. web site 2002 honda civic
GLEBE RD. S., 2800 block, 9:45 p.m. April 29. Several motorists reported seeing a body in the roadway. Silvio A. Escoto-Velazquez of no fixed address was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
HAYES ST. S., 1100 block, 9:58 p.m. May 2. A male armed with a stun gun robbed two females of cash and fled on foot.
27TH CT. S., 2400 block, 9:50 p.m. April 28. A male robbed a woman of cash, a laptop computer and jewelry at gunpoint.
COLUMBIA PIKE S., 2600 block. A license plate was stolen.
GLEBE RD. S., 300 block, April 28. Hood ornaments were removed from three vehicles.
IRVING ST. N., 1300 block, noon to 3:30 p.m. May 1. Two laptop computers were stolen from a residence.
JOYCE ST. S., 1400 block, 1:30 p.m. April 29 to 7:19 a.m. May 1. Cash was stolen from a business entered by breaking a door.
THOMAS ST. N., 300 block, 2 a.m. to 9 p.m. April 22. Cash, two CD players and a set of keys were stolen from an apartment entered through a window. The apartment was ransacked.
SEVENTH RD. S., 5600 block, 9:35 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. April 28. Cash, a digital camera, jewelry and a bottle of liquor were stolen from a residence.
25TH PL. N., 5000 block, 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. May 2. A laptop computer, three video-game systems and video games were stolen from a residence entered by forcing a door.
ABINGDON ST. S., 2800 block. A black 2005 Honda motorcycle was stolen.
BUCHANAN ST. S., 800 block. A tan 1990 Honda Civic was stolen.
FREDERICK ST. S., 1000 block. A green 1997 Ford Explorer was stolen.
GLEBE RD. N., 700 block. A black 2006 Chevy Malibu was stolen.
21ST ST. S., 2800 block. A black 1992 Toyota Camry was stolen.
27TH ST. S., 2300 block. A 2002 Yamaha motorcycle was stolen.
ARMY-NAVY DR., 400-500 block, April 30. Tires on several vehicles were slashed.
EADS ST. S., 1100 block, April 29 to April 30. Tires on several vehicles were slashed.
12TH ST. S., 400 block, April 30. Tires on several vehicles were slashed.
-- Compiled by RIA MANGLAPUS
Stay Informed
Thank you so much for drawing attention to this critical and very uplifting information. In fact, the power of storytelling extends not only to the listener but to the narrator as well. Numerous studies show that oral history and life storytelling improve life satisfaction, psychological well being and self-esteem; reduce depression, and allow participants to strengthen their sense of identity and belonging, find compensation for their shortcomings, and gain a circle of friends.
Our work at Story Bridges is dedicated to bringing this power of storytelling to a wider audience for the purpose of education and healing. Lots more great work to be done!
Angela Zusman
Executive Director and Founder of Story Bridges
http://www.storybridges.org
On our UK television channel, Community Channel, we show films from across the world that tell the inspiring stories of communities making change happen.
If you have films, do send us your content - and take a look at the online site http://www.communitychannel.org
As media around the world become increasingly driven by commercial imperatives it's vital that we create our own channels - online, on tv, in radio.